


Assumptions

by Alliswell



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Annoyed!Katniss, F/M, Outtakes, POV Third Person, Sore Looser!Gale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-08-23 15:36:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8333044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alliswell/pseuds/Alliswell
Summary: This what happened right before all the goodness of chapter 22 of BellaGracie's "Are Those For Me?"Some secondary characters' background, cause why not?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Nothing is mine, just having a field day with characters and universe and plot points! 
> 
> Unbetaed, this was a mess of tenses, so forgive me if you still find something ridiculous that doesn't match.

Katniss plopped down on her desk, winded and flushed, she'd just rushed five flights of stairs from the finance department, where she had to drop off a budget her boss, Seneca, had just submitted. She could have use the elevator but there was a whole line of people waiting for it, and she didn't wanna waste the remaining 20 minutes she still had left from her lunch break. 

That damned Seneca kept her way longer than she expected, the worst part was that he kept repeating himself over and over, then lost track of what he had said, just to start his spiel from the top.

She was very tempted to just pop two or three cheese buns into her mouth and be done with it, but the thought of eating the samples of Peeta's prospective new business stopped her. If she ate the merchandise, then he'll never get a shot at starting his own bakery.

She sighed, looking at the buns longingly, and stepped from her desk with her purse hanging from her shoulder. 

She flew down the stairs like a bat out of hell, calculating the time to that hot dog truck a block away. She was so consumed trying to reorganize herself in her mind, to cram a whole hour into 15 miserable minutes of lunch break, she didn't realized certain ex boyfriend of hers was coming straight at her like a freight train until she collided with his chest, and almost fell flat on her ass. 

Gale tried to grab her arms to steady her on her feet, but she had always had quicker reflexes than him, she sidestepped him easily. 

"Catnip, thank God I found you! I thought I've missed your break," he said smiling sweetly. 

Katniss scowled at him grunting her displeasure. 

"What are you doing here, Gale? This is my place of work, I don't want any drama here," she told him flatly, and started to power walk away from him. Her stomach hurt from hunger, and she had to feed it, Gale or not. 

"Oh, no, no, no. No drama, Catnip." Gale said jogging after her, "I'm here so we can talk, since that... _Guy_ is always there at your place..."

"Of course he's there! We live together, Gale!" She interrupted him with a frustrated puff revealing more than she should've.  

Gale chuckled uneasily, "Ah, yeah. You're shaking up with a dude you just met," He said condescendingly.

She only narrowed her flaming gray eyes, and picked up her pace. 

"Catnip, maybe he does live there, I mean he's always there now, but I doubt he's your lover as you claim him to be. I think he's there to enable your little teaching technic you're trying to apply on me," he smiled, but she didn't see it. "I mean, I-I finally get it. I... I hear you loud and clear. Being cheated on is no fun at all. Lesson learned! You can stop whatever it is you're doing now. Let the guy's contract go, heavens knows how much it's costing you keeping up this elaborated production, just to teach me how to be a good future husband,"

"The hell are you talking about?" She asked coming to an abrupt stop. Her face contorted into an annoyed grimace. "What do you mean?" For the first time, she's taken a good look at his sheepish face. There's a slight bruise barely fading on his cheekbone, likely from Peeta's fists.

"Well... It's just." He hesitated and then powered through, "Look, I know that, that Peeta person is some kind of model, and I figured he might even be an actor too... And, I know you, Catnip, you're not the kind of girl to jump into a relationship with some guy out of the blue," another nervous chuckle, "I get it," he said again in that tone, as if he was humoring a toddler, "You were pissed. You were very clever finding an actor to help you out. But you can drop the act now, okay. I'm willing to forget all about the fight with the asshole, just... Let's kiss and make up, what do you say? I'll pay the guy off whatever this gig is costing you, and then he can leave your apartment. I really don't feel comfortable with a stranger in your house, hired or not." 

Katniss' nostrils flared in anger, indignation and the urge to strangle her ex right on the sidewalk a mere half block away from her office building. She squared her shoulders, her thick, glossy braid swinging like a pendulum behind her back as she stalked towards Gale angrily.

"How dare you, Gale? How dare you insinuate that I would do something as slimy and gross as faking a relationship with a paid actor, to manipulate you!" She poked her finger into his chest harshly, "If there's an asshole here, it is you, Gale Hawthorne! Peeta Mellark happens to be my honest-to-God, very real boyfriend, and not that's any of your business, but the modeling was a crazy fluke that fell on his lap right when he needed it, we have a very real relationship, built on honesty and respect! Also, don't flatter yourself thinking that you know me. You don't!" She whipped around and marched away like a fury, she was more angry than offended, but his words would've probably sting more if she just sat there taking his bullshit.

Gale stood rooted to the ground only for a second, before his own raging anger ignited up into an inferno. 

"Oh really? So what you're saying is, that you're some easy slut now? That you will fall into bed with the first stranger that approaches you?" He spoke with venom and malice. 

Katniss was about to turn around and scream at him, when a soft voice called her name in mild alarm. Katniss looked up, self conscious of the show she'd allowed Gale to put on.

Annie from work, walked rapidly up to her, her pretty face lined with worry, "Everything okay?" She asked firmly, then turned to give Gale a scrutinizing look, and her green eyes widened in recognition, "Gale, what are you doing here? Why are you harassing my coworker? You are way out of line!" She told him with disgust. 

Katniss looked between the two, disconcerted and puzzled by this strange turn of events. 

"Annie, this is none of your business, this is between my girlfriend and myself..."

"Excuse you!" Katniss rounded on him, "I sure as hell am  _ **not**_ your girlfriend anymore, Gale. You broke up with me, remember? And you _are_ flipping way out of line!" She said lowly but dangerous.

"You should go, Gale. Now!" Countered Annie linking her arm through Katniss' and pulling her away with her. "If you come back, I'll tell Finnick and have him deal with you... legally!" Annie pushed Katniss back towards their building.

Gale retorted loudly, "Let him try his worst! I know better lawyers than his washed up ass!" He said mockingly, but Annie kept a firm hold on Katniss and walked without looking back. 

Gale kept loudly jeering in the background, "I hope you realize your mistake sooner rather than later, Katniss. I won't be waiting around for you forever!" 

Annie didn't let go of Katniss until she shoved her into her cubicle at their office. The two women were shaken after the unpleasant confrontation, short as it was. They had been completely silent all the trek back, even in the cramped elevator they remained quiet, but once they got to Katniss' cubicle, the adrenaline washed off, and they both felt their legs wobble under them. 

Annie was the first to speak, "You okay there?" Her voice was also a little shaky. 

Katniss nodded. "I'll be better in a minute." She laughed anxiously. Then her stomach made a horrible growling sound, that made her laugh nervously again. "I didn't get to have lunch," she said pitifully, "After all that crap with Gale, you'd think my stomach would be too churned to stand food," she sighed. 

"Oh whippersnappers! Here!" Cried Annie, hastily digging through her hand bag, until she pulled a container filled with half a gyro and some Greek potato wedges swimming in cucumber sauce. "You can have it! I bought too much. I eat this thing for every meal... It can't be good for me, but, it's all I crave these days," she explained shoving the container into Katniss' hand.

"Oh Annie, thank you, but... I couldn't take your food..."

"No. Please eat it. You'll be doing me a favor. Otherwise I'll just stuff my face with it in twenty minutes! It's this child... I think he or she got all his culinary likes from his dad's side. My husband is from Greek descend," she laughed breathily. 

"You're pregnant?" Katniss asked in surprise. 

"Oh... Ah, yup. Not many people know in the office," she said, "I'm only 13 weeks far, and Finn and I decided not to tell people right away, but I already informed Seneca, just in case." She shrugged. 

"That's so wonderful, Annie! Congratulations!" Katniss surprised herself by giving the other woman a warm hug. When she stepped away she smiled widely, "I'll tell you what, I trade you your gyro for two cheese buns. I don't want to be held responsible to keep your baby from snacking," before Annie could refuse, she grabbed two perfectly round buns from the tray, and put them in a ziplock baggie, handing it out with a flourish. "You let me know how you like them, and maybe we'll cure your little one from the Greek craving!" 

They both smiled, and tore open their newly acquired food at the same time. 

They were munching together, Annie sitting on a corner of Katniss' desk, when the latter felt brave enough to ask the question she had been dying to make. 

"Hmmm... So, how do you know Gale?" She kept her eyes on her potato wedges between bites. 

"Ugh, I'm sorry honey," Annie said patting Katniss' hand, "Gale is such a tool. I'm happy for you, sticking to your guns and not taking his sorry ass back! Good for you!" She swallowed a piece of cheesy goodness with a contented moan, before continuing, "Girl, these things are to die for!" She said licking her fingers before tearing up another piece, "So, Finnick, my husband, he went to law school to please his father... long story short, my Finny is actually certified to practice law in California, but he hates conflict. He tried doing corporate kind of stuff for a while, but that wasn't any better. Finally, his best friend from college, Blight Mason, started talking about this dream he had to start a band. Naturally, Finnick was all over it, like flies to sugar cubes. It wasn't long before they'd put together a four piece band, but their drummer decided he didn't wanna do it anymore, and in cane the replacement in the shape of Blight's baby sister..."

"Johanna," Katniss said scrunching up her nose, and tossing her last potato back into the container. 

Annie nodded. "Jo is not a bad person," she hedged cautiously, "She's just a bit... _much_ sometimes. Now, I have no idea how they met, but Jo really, _really_ likes Gale, although we all knew he had an official girl back home. I just didn't know it was you," she gave her an apologetic sideways smile. "Blight tried to tell her to stay away from Gale, but Jo is stubborn, she does as she wants. Sadly, she screwed up. I'm sorry," 

"Annie, you don't have to apologize. This is all Gale's doing. He should have known better, and when he had the chance to rectify his wrongs, he chose to lay in his muddy bed. I don't blame anyone but him for our falling out."

Annie nodded again. She finished her bun thoughtfully, and then groaned when she realized that was the last piece and she didn't enjoyed it as much as the first bites. 

"Hmm... Katniss, would you mind if I buy a couple of your buns? The baby seems to like them!" They both laughed.

After they had concluded their business over the cheeses buns, Annie said in a serious voice, "Katniss, don't listen to Gale's mean spirited words. This new guy of yours... Is he the model in Jo and Finn's band pictures?" Once Katniss affirm her answer, Annie smiled wickedly, "Go home, don't even say hello. Climb him like a tree, that man is yummy, and you deserve some dessert after the day you've had today. I know we've only talked a couple of times, but it takes one to know one..." Annie got up, and started to walk towards her own cubicle with a bag full of buns.

Katniss cocked her head sideways and asked curiously, "Takes one to know what?" 

Annie turned around and flashed her a smirk, "A girl in love with her man!" She winked before going into her work space. 

Katniss looked at clock on the wall. The last half of her working day was going to be hell. All she could think off, was that Annie was right, she deserved some of Peeta's sweet buns! 

 

 


End file.
